Smile tip

Our mission

We believe everyone deserves a healthy smile. It powers everything we do as we work to remove the barriers to oral health care. To accomplish this, we must continuously be looking forward and planning for what's to come.
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Women’s History Month: A Smile Salute

March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day may be March staples, but the real superstars this month are the women who shaped the dental industry. Women’s History Month recognizes females’ influential contributions throughout history.

This March we salute these smile-enhancing heroines:

We love Lucy!

Lucy Taylor Hobbs, that is. Lucy was a trailblazer in the world of dentistry. During the 1800s, a time when women were expected to hold positions as nurses or teachers, Lucy pursued a career in dentistry. Her acceptance into dental school was like pulling teeth for this fearless leader. Lucy overcame the odds, and opened her own dental practice at age 28. Hobbs earned her doctorate in dentistry, and was the first woman in the world to ever do so.

Thanks to Dr. Hobbs, the turn of the century welcomed almost 1,000 women into the dental profession. Today, the American Association of Women Dentists recognizes outstanding female dentists with the Lucy Hobbs Taylor Award.

Go for it, Gonzales!

Another modern day dentistry showstopper is Col. Theresa Gonzales. She was selected as the 2013 Lucy Hobbs Taylor Award recipient. Col. Gonzales serves on many boards to improve oral health standards around the world. In 2010, she was chosen as one of America’s Top Dentists.

Step aside, Meryl Streep (but please keep making movies). These women are true role models for young women building a career in the dental world. Whether past, present or future, women are leading the way in the dental field. And that deserves a standing ovation.